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10 Reasons to Vote for Larry Block in 2015

1. Larry is a small business owner:
Larry opens his store Block Party and takes pride in everything West Hollywood. Larry's the type of guy who sweeps the streets in front his the store and talks to everyone. By definition a BlockParty is a neighborhood gathering of all people in the same community.

2. Larry cares about people:
Larry founded Cross Safe WeHo and called for the establishment of the Pedestrian Safe Zones. You can call him 24/7 and he will pick up the phone 7 days a week any hour.

3. Larry publicly lobbied to close the divide/feud between council member John Heilman & Mayor John D'Amico:
He stood up for civility when John Heilman would not shake John D’amico’s hand for 2 years and kept demanding that ‘we deserve a city council that works together and reasons with eachother’ .. even going as far as calling Heilman a sissy.. and by the next meeting the 2 shook hands & the council is now united.

4. Larry believes in the voices of the people:
Larry was a key player in the invitation of term limits by helping to contribute to the language that became law. He loves the City of West Hollywood and hopes to serve the people of the city not the developers. You can count on him to call you back.

5. Larry is an Advocate:
Larry was the President of Labor Day LA and raised over $100,000 for our local social service organizations. Larry walked door to door with Drian Juarez of the Trangender Advisory Board to help shape this years Transgender Job Fair on November 17th into a Trangender Job and Career Fair and he even manned the Keller Williams Real Estate booth to offer people careers, not just jobs. Larry also walked door to door with Robert Gamboa, chairman of the Gay and Lesbian Advisory Board securing the prizes for the first ever Sizzle – Sober New Years Eve Party to help make it successful. His advocacy for new ideas in Rent Stabilization for ‘swapping’ units to help seniors and those with disabilities move from the 2nd floor to a 1st floor was the first new idea in Rent Stablizaion in years.

6. Larry's a seasoned Commissioner in the WeHo Political arena:
He’s a John D’Amico appointee to the Disability Advisory Board & his peers elected him chairman of the Disability Advisory Board unanimously after 10 months of service.

7. Larry is Queer as Folk:
Larry led the fight for the rainbow flag on city hall and when it came down he didn’t give up. His efforts have embedded the LGBT identity on West Hollywood’s global footprint. He was the first one to call for naming of the intersection of Santa Monica and San Vicente LGBT square. He founded one of the first gay brands Y.M.L.A. in the 1990’s that went national Y.M.L.A was in the INC 500 fastest growing companies in America twice. He will do what's needed to protect and enhance our LGBT identity.

8. Larry cares about Business & wants to relax parking restrictions:
Larry asked the city council to keep fighting for the business improvement district in Boystown and offered to put a merchants association together single handedly. He advocates and continues to fight for free parking on Sundays & was against the increase in the parking meters.

9. Larry is 100% Civically Active & Present:
He pitched an idea to the Disability Board about a Health fair and it resulted in the Health and Wellness fair that brought free flu shots to the City this past month. Larry attends more commission and board meetings than any other candidate because he enjoys it. He stood up to exclusive contracts such as the "no bid" contracts to Athens services and advocated for more honesty in government.

10. Larry is just like one of us:
Larry's not a lawyer or a politician, the guy owned 4 stores in Boystown & he's also a home owner. He’s running for people not money. He's not afraid to tackle the status quo & will present practical solutions to the real problems we face at a city. Best of all Larry is open to new ideas and takes the time to understand both sides of an issue.

Plain & simple, Larry Block is not running for money he is running for people.

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24 comments
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I don’t understand your comment as nothing in this article reads like comedy. It’s all true. Block is the perfect antidote to the stale, entrenched special-interest lobby that is the current regime. He hasn’t even been elected yet and he’s done so much, as this post attests. Perhaps you have beef with him. I suggest approaching him and talking it out instead of dive-bombing the efforts of his supporters. He will listen to you – because that’s what he does. He listens and engages and problem-solves, which is why he’ll make a great council member. He’s got my vote!

This guy does so much for the city and so many people it's incredible - he has my full support. Remember the deaths on Palm- met him there at the vigil- the only one asking questions how the police treated the residents -

Larry Block is a combination of all the fine points listed in "10 Reasons" article. He's an unrelenting fighter against injusticea tireless advocate for LGBT rights and causes, and a loyallifetime friend (my personal and 11th" Reason to Vote for Larry Block".

Larry Block loves and cares deeply about West Hollywood and our people. He is all the things asserted in this article but more: Larry eats, sleeps and breathes Weho, like none of the current candidates.He demonstrates his passion by religiously attending “EVERY” City Board, Commission, Council meeting and civic event where here is an active contributor and relentless pundit. Larry gives his time to everything that is important to quality of life issues and safety in Weho.

Like many, I was angry and vocal about the city’s lack of attention to crosswalk safety, but there was only one quarterback (Larry Block) out there making things happen, calling, visiting and threatening Council members and the City manager day and night. After forming Cross Safe Weho and organizing daily meetings to discuss and formulate a plan, mobile Safety Zone signs are now omnipresent on SMB’s Eastside and Westside. And sadly, you could find Larry placing flowers daily at the Crosswalk where our beloved Clinton Bounds was killed. If you need a ride to a doctor’s appointment, Larry will pick you up. If you’re aged or disabled, Larry will drive you home from a community event. Got an issue with West Hollywood Community Housing, Larry shows up at your door. “You can count on Larry Block” and I can personally attest to this… And if you are one of Weho's 35,000 plus residents and don’t believe me, call or email Larry Block yourself!

His story Block Party is exactly why I would NEVER vote for him. The store is gross & tacky. Gaudy flashing signs, awful window displays, crap merchandise, terrible employees. I don't want him running our city the way he runs that store. Take one look at that place and tell me that's what you want West Hollywood to be like.

Our very brave friend Anonymous is exactly right. If we elect Larry Block to the City Council the all surface, no soul posers like him might be forced to pay attention to something other than the label on their new designer underwear.

I don't know anything about Larry or the other candidates, but I agree the store speaks volumes. It's a concrete example of how he does things. Terrible atmosphere and customer service. The least desirable store on the Blvd. If he can turn that store around before election day he has my vote. Larry, channel your inner gay or Lisa Vanderpump - look what she did with a shitty parking lot.

And let's not kid ourselves. He wrote, submitted and/or paid for paid for this whole top 10 entry.

Everything I said above about Larry's store shows the true depth of my understanding of life: If we elect a store owner to the council then our city will look like the store he owns. Am I brilliant, or what?

How is the way he runs a business not relevant to how he'd run the city?What better example is there to see how someone manages than examining the business they run?

You're either capable of assembling and training a good staff or you're not.No one said the city will look like the store, but it's Exhibit A of how he does things. Why would he have a lower standard for his own establishment?

Name calling and being condescending is you changing the argument because it's logical to look at his track record. He should be judged by the business he owns.You mock me which is lame but fine, now answer the questions.

I think it’s a reach to criticize the merchandise and behavior of employees in Block’s store in light of these ten FACTUAL bullet-points. That Block sells t-shirts and underwear in his store, or that he uses bright colors and illuminated signs hardly negates what he’s done to bring attention to pedestrian safety and responsibility to our city’s governing policies. I agree that the manner in which he runs his store is germane to how he’d run the city. I question, then, your failure to credit the fact that, in the current economic climate (skyrocketing rents, hostile council-imposed logistics, the constant corporatization of the area, etc.) where businesses fail every day, Block has not only kept his store open, but has expanded to Palm Springs. Are you aware of the fact that one man owns almost the entire block of SMB from Robertson to La Cienega? He has a practical monopoly on real estate and can and DOES jack his rents up to the breaking point for so many businesses. But not Block. He’s still in business precisely because of the way he manages his store. Further, some people appreciate that his store is overtly gay and does not cower to the white-washing of our city, which was founded in part on being a gay Camelot. This inconvenient truth is evidenced by the fact that his underwear SELLS, which in turn allows to Block to PAY his employees and PAY his city taxes. So his “tacky” business actually does some good in the lives of many. When you also consider that, as the article points out, he created and sold for millions the Y.M.L.A. clothing line, was a record-selling Keller Williams real estate agent, and has had several small business in WeHo, the FACTS add up to him being a pretty successful businessman from my perspective. But yes, he sells underwear and his 20-something employees are pre-occupied with their cell phones. So he MUST be a bad choice. That logic just does not add up in my opinion.

Thank you for the education. I really know nothing about Larry Block. I've hated that store for years. It's the worst of its kind in West Hollywood. So when I found out the owner of the store is running for City Council, logically I thought, "HELL NO!"He really should get his own house in order before tackling the city. If he can do that, he has my vote.

I've known Larry a couple years and have found him to be honest, funny, friendly, and dependable. His public resume as an activist is accurate and impressive. I commend him for taking a leap of faith to run for office. As for the comments by 'Anonymous' regarding his store-front... You are probably one of those people that hang out in West Hollywood picking people apart for what they wear or how they look. One of the great aspects of being gay is that we belong to a subculture that includes all colors of the rainbow... all are welcome. Judging a candidate based on a storefront??? You should be embarrassed and remain 'Anonymous'.

Anonymous, I agree that like yourself, some people do judge politicians based on the looks of their businesses. Personally, I don't have a problem with how Block Party looks. I haven't been in there enough to determine whether or not I like the attitude of the minimum wage-paid salespeople. The only reason I said something is because I truly believe that discounting Larry because of his store would be a sad loss. Maybe Larry should answer your question about his store. But in all fairness, you should at least out yourself rather than hiding behind your words.

Thank you all for your comments. I appreciate each and every comment because all of you have a point. Let me make some of my own.

The store is not my life.. I opened the store after losing my eye sight and could not drive a car. As a real estate agent at that time my mugshot was on the cover of the LA Times, top solo agent. I was only 2 years in real estate. And prior to that my company YMLA did a quarter of a billion dollars from 1991-2002. Started without a nickel. So when I lost my eye and wanted something to do this space was available .. empty.. for 6 months at the height of the financial crisis. American Apparel was moving to take this store to make it a larger store catering to women and when they dragged their feet I got the space.

Please refrain from making my employees an issue. Most are loyal, here for many years, we have very little turnover and this job is to help them with flex time to supplement their income. We make the schedule around their auditions, their personal needs and nobody has quit in 5 years and only 1 person fired. Even when theres a problem, I catch a guy stealing, we sit and talk about what I can do to help them get on their feet.

Those who say the store is tacky .. well may have a decent argument. My heart has been on city stuff and I don't spend a lot of time at the store. The lease was up in September and we got a 6 month extension. The landlord is free to find somebody to pay 15grand in rent because biz is not easy.. city policies with parking and permits have not helped the street merchants.

When I opened 5 years ago the store next to Rage was JustOneLA.. then it became LA Jock, now its ES collection.. 3 concepts in 5 years.. Andrew Christian had 3 stores along Santa Monica Blvd and shuttered 2 of them. But we are still here..

The storefront has been a tough thing for me to change. Because this building is Historic we cannot put in floor to ceiling glass. That has hurt the presence of a window display because it all has to be propped up 3 feet. But I agree, if any of you have storefront display concepts please call me.

The merchandise, (we have 4000 skis) no buyer.. is done with handshakes and vendor partnerships. We give new local vendors and artists a place to show their stuff..and we are the only store on the street that allows a new vendor or local guy a home for their product. Sorry Im not a fancy or uppity fashion guy so our price points are value oriented and I think we deliver a tremendous value to the customers..we do our best to beat any price on any product. We don't rip people off and anybody can call me anyway with a question, 310 733 7388

As your council person I will be open to your needs from 9am -2am 7 days a week. Thats my work schedule.. always available and always open to listen. The store won't be here much longer so hopefully the next tenant loves the community as much as I do.

And finally.. thank you for your comments. Good or bad, I can take a hit and learn from it. But leave my employees and their lives do not deserve to be trashed.

I used to go to his store all the time when I lived in weho. He seemed a bit odd and everytime I would be looking in the large section of underwear he would say: "the extra large is over here" even though he's twice my size. This happened multiple times. Sorry, Larry, maybe you should stick to the XL section... or more like 2XL! I wouldn't trust him on the council... seems like an unstable weirdo.